Sunnei: The Story of A Young, Thriving Italian Menswear Brand Discovered on Instagram

Menswear enthusiasts say the brand embodies a new Milan. A Milan that is all about the present, less about the past. Clothes made for the street, not for the runway. “We don’t come from a design background, so we approach things in a more practical manner, since we need to sell it in the end. We don’t take that approach of creating certain pieces just for on the runway, and then some t-shirts which actually sell,” says Loris Messina, one half of the duo behind the in 2015-founded Sunnei brand. The 28-year-old Frenchman is joined by Italian Simone Rizzo, 29, who like his business partner comes from a past in digital marketing. In two years’ time, the independent menswear label has so far managed to generate over $500,000 in annual sales.

It all started on Instagram for the brand which DNA would be best described as a clash between streetwear and haute fashion, infused with an awkward sense of cool. “We’ve never spent any money on marketing and all of our marketing efforts take place across social networks. Since digital marketing is what we’re both specialized in, we managed to come up with a strategy that would speak to both consumer as well as industry insiders. Many of our customers are creatives: people from the art world, architects, DJs, journalists, designers. South Korea was the first market to take notice of us when we launched the brand. I think it’s because the South Koreans are crazy about social media, and at the time Instagram was one our main platforms. Till this day, almost everybody who buys our product will say that they found us through Instagram,” Simone Rizzo tells me, who largely looks after the retail and communications part of the business.

The early success in the South Korean market came with pros and cons for the brand which is stocked by 45 retailers worldwide, in addition to e-tailers including SSENSE and the brand’s own in-house e-commerce platform. “In the beginning pretty much all of our e-commerce traffic came from South Korea. It’s a market which consumers have surpassed that sensitivity towards celebrity product placement, since they’re very conscious of their own individual style. This buzz surrounding our brand has also let to us coming across some counterfeits. Most notably our Everyday I Wear Sunnei t-shirt, plus the shirts from our fall/winter 2016 collection which we made in collaboration with illustrator Michele Papetti,” the duo shares, whose products are stocked by South Korean retailers including Space Mue. Following South Korea, other Asian markets jumped on the Sunnei bandwagon too. Namely Japan, and more recently China, where Sunnei just signed an exclusive deal with major retailer Lane Crawford.

Outside the Far East, the French-Italian duo is currently witnessing growth in the United States, in addition to parts of Europe. Parts of Europe, which ironically does not include the brand’s native Italy. “We have few stockists in Italy. I don’t think it’s the typical product Italians gravitate towards. They want logo. But that’s not us,” Sunnei half Simone Rizzo concludes. His business partner adds, “The Italian market is a bit more macho. But I believe the market will come around at one point. It’s a complicated market, since stockists don’t want to take a chance with a new brand. Instead, they prefer to wait. Retailers here don’t push a new brand, but instead buy once they’re certain a brand sells. The way in which local retailers select products is also different from our foreign stockists. In Italy they look for colors and prints, most don’t try to propose new things to their clients. Very few do. But there are no Opening Ceremony or Tom Greyhound type of stores here.”

A look from Sunnei's fall/winter 2017-18 collection.Vanni Bassetti

The Sunnei founders currently work in a team of five, from their Milan-based studio on Via Vincenzo Vela. Besides functioning as the company headquarters, the white space also serves as the brand’s flagship store where people may shop and browse through indie magazines. Eye-catchers inside the store where we meet the morning of our interview, include animated t-shirts featuring the words “La Solitudine” (loneliness) and “La Bella Vita” (the good life). It’s a tongue-in-cheek response to Italian clichés. “The La Solitudine shirt was inspired by a Laura Pausini song, which talks about a very sad and dramatic situation. It’s also the song that helped Loris learn Italian. La Bella Vita refers to an expression often used in Italy. It’s about this ridiculous belief shared by many Italians, that the perfect life is about yachts, champagne and spending your summers in Sardinia,” Simone says.

Expansion is currently top priority for Sunnei, and the founders have noticed interest in the brand skyrocketing following their fashion show in January. “We left all the extra bullshit behind and purely focused on setting up a proper fashion show and accompanying communication. The look of our clothes has become more recognizable to the audience. Many told us they finally understand what we’re about now, plus the feedback we received from press and buyers was super positive,” the creative duo explains. Interest from investors has also increased, and the emerging brand has already been approached by Asian groups interested in owning a significant share.

“Right now we’re just looking at all the offers we have laying on the table. We’re also in the process of launching our women’s line next year, which should trigger additional growth considering menswear normally accounts for about 30% of brand’s total revenues. At the same time our aim will be to remain niche as a brand, since we don’t want to get attached to mainstream culture. The people we cater to are people like ourselves. Independent creatives who don’t need to buy themselves an identity through clothes.”

Based in Milan, I write about fashion and lifestyle-related topics, with a soft spot for Made in Italy and emerging markets. I kicked off my career at the age of 19, contributing to GQ India about the soirées hosted by Italian designers. As a journalist I've worked with inte...